Findings consistent across three measures of hypoxia, when adjusting for pulmonary physiology
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Sleep-related hypoxia is associated with incident atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online Nov. 10 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Catherine M. Heinzinger, D.O., from the Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues examined the association between sleep-disordered breathing, hypoxia, and pulmonary physiology on atrial fibrillation. The analysis included 42,057 patients who underwent sleep studies at a single institution between 2000 and 2015.
The researchers found that 4.6 percent of participants developed AF over five years. An increase of 10 units in the apnea-hypopnea index was associated with a trend toward higher AF risk (hazard ratio, 1.02; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.00 to 1.03). Associations were seen for a 10-unit increase in percentage time oxygen saturation
“Findings set the stage to better understand hypoxic mechanisms leading to atrial arrhythmia and indicate a potential role for nocturnal supplemental oxygen therapy in prevention of atrial arrhythmogenesis,” the authors write.
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